Planetary Classification

Notice: Pictures and texts are used with the kind permission of Chris Adamek (sttff.net) for non-commercial purposes. Some texts and details were altered to better fit the intended RPG setting.

A planet is a celestial body in orbit around a star or stellar remnants, that has sufficient mass for self-gravity and is nearly spherical in shape. A planet must not share its orbital region with other bodies of significant size (except for its own satellites), and must be below the threshold for thermonuclear fusion of deuterium.

If a celestial body meets those requirements, it is considered a planet; at that point, the planet is further classified by its atmosphere and surface conditions into one of twenty-two categories.

Class A planets are generally young, rocky worlds that are rife with volcanic activity. This volcanic activity spews vast amounts of sulfur and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing a greenhouse effect that keeps temperatures relatively hot. Planets in a star system’s hot zone may have worldwide temperatures in excess of 1500° C. Due to the tenuous nature of the atmosphere, planets in the cold zone do not retain as much heat, and while temperatures might approach 1000° C near volcanoes, the average temperature may be as low as -130° C. This combination of extreme temperature and tenuous, toxic atmosphere make Class A worlds highly unfavorable to life of any kind.

When this extreme volcanic activity eventually ceases, the planet „dies“ and becomes a Class C: Geoinactive world.

Class A planets are common in the universe; Jupiter’s moon Io is a prime example.

Class B planets are generally very small, very rocky worlds located within a star system’s hot zone, such as Mercury. In the harsh daylight, these planets are scorched by their parent star, often to the point of rock becoming molten. Because Class B worlds have little to no atmosphere, this heat quickly radiates away at night, leaving the dark side of the planet a frigid wasteland. As a result, these planets are highly unsuitable for humanoid life.

Despite their small size, Class B planets are often extremely dense, with a large inner core, up to 55% of the planet’s volume, that is made of molten iron.

Class C planets are small, barren worlds, utterly devoid of just about everything: no atmosphere, no water, no geological activity, and absolutely no life.

While the vast majority of geoinactive worlds are actually moons in orbit of a larger planet, make mo mistake, they are planets in all other regards. In fact, most have a semi-molten iron core, and many are far larger than the bona fide terrestrial planets that inhabit their star system.

Moon or not, some geoinactive worlds are born into the classification, and spend their entire existence within the boundaries of that definition. Others begin life as a highly volatile Class A: Geothermal planet; once the volcanic activity eventually ceases, those worlds cool off and become geoinactive.

Class C planets are often rich in minerals, and while they are not suitable for life, they can be transformed into mining colonies via the use of pressure domes. Some Class C worlds, such as Earth’s moon, are colonized in that manner just for the heck of it.

A Class D planetoid is a tiny world that generally does not meet the criteria for a planet. This includes many moons, asteroids, and small planet-like objects. Many are not even spherical, and have eccentric orbits that are cluttered with various smaller rocks and asteroids.

Dwarf planetoids generally lack the internal structure of larger worlds; instead of having an inner-core, mantle, and crust, many dwarf planetoids are simply composed of solid rock and ice (however, some larger dwarfs, such as Pluto, do have a more planet-like internal structure).

They are often rich in natural resources, making them ideal for mining operations. However, most dwarf planetoids either have a very tenuous atmosphere (usually composed of water vapor and nitrogen) or more commonly, no atmosphere at all, making pressure domes a requirement for colonization.

Class E planets represent the earliest stage in the formation of a habitable world, and are commonly found in newly formed star systems, often within a few thousand years of the parent star’s formation.

Though similar in appearance to the volcanic Class A worlds, Class E planets are actually molten due to the heat generated by the collision of the many millions of rocks and asteroids that came together in the formation of the planet. Additionally, Class E worlds are many times larger than Class A, and typically have much longer and more varied lives.

Over the course of several billion years, the crust will cool and solidify, and the hellish geoplastic world will slowly transition into a Class F: geometallic one.

As a Class E: Geomorteus planet cools, the crust and mantle slowly begin to solidify and the planet is reborn as a Class F: Geometallic world. These barren worlds are witness to much geologic activity. Steam expelled from volcanic eruptions condenses in the atmosphere and falls to the earth as rain. Over the eons, this precipitation will form the planet’s first shallow seas, in which primitive bacteria may develop and ultimately thrive.

While geometallic worlds are extremely rich in natural resources, mining these treasures is generally frowned upon, as the bacteria that inhabit the shallow seas might one day evolve into plants, animals, or even fully sentient life forms. For a young geometallic world, such grandiose developments are still millions, if not billions of years away. In the interim, the planet’s crust will continue to solidify, and the barren surface will eventually cool to the point where the Class F: Geometallic world transitions into the cradle of life, a Class G: Geocrystalline world.

Once the core of a Class F: Geometallic planet sufficiently cools, volcanic activity lessens and worldwide temperatures continue to fall. The planet eventually transitions into a Class G: Geocrystalline world. Oxygen and nitrogen are present in some abundance in these „Cambrian“ worlds, giving rise to increasingly complex organisms, such as primitive vegetation similar to lichen and algae, and animals akin to sponges and jellyfish. Over the course of the coming eons, these primitive life forms will eventually flood the atmosphere with enough oxygen to support highly complex flora and fauna, and potentially sentient life.

Meanwhile, the planet itself begins to inch ever closer to its final stage of evolution during the geocrystalline phase. Class G planets closer to their parent star might become arid wastelands; those further away could transition into snowbound lands; yet others could blossom into a tropical paradise. *In fact, there are any number of potential evolutions for a Class G planet, including Class H: Desert, Class K: Adaptable, Class L: Marginal, Class M: Terrestrial, Class O: Pelagic, or Class P: Glaciated.

An extremely arid planet with less than twenty percent of its surface covered in water is considered a Class H: Desert world. While many of these worlds are very hot and covered in a blanket of glittering sand, these conditions are not requisite for a desert classification. In fact, a desert world may be both cold and rocky.

Though precipitation is rare and the climate harsh, drought-resistant plants and animals are actually quite common on desert worlds, and many support humanoid populations.

Also known as Uranian planetoids, Class I: Ice Giants are massive, frozen worlds that lurk on the outskirts of a star system. They are also dramatically different from their gaseous brethren; while Class J: Jovian planets are massive spheres of hydrogen and helium, Class I worlds are typically composed of tenuous layers of water, ammonia, and methane, surrounding a small core of ice and iron. Many ice giants also have magnetic fields that are sharply inclined to the axis of rotation.

Class J Jovian planets are among the most common and familiar sites in star systems across the universe. These giant spheres of liquid and gaseous hydrogen, boast extremely dense atmospheres, and are able to support powerful storms that might endure for hundreds of years and produce winds in excess of 600 kph.

Many Class J planets also possess impressive ring systems,composed primarily of rock, dust, and ice. They form in the coldzone of a star system, though typically much closer than Class I, S, or U planets.

Class K: Adaptable planets represent an unfortunate part of planetary development: a failed world. Over the course of a terrestrial planet’s long and arduous evolution (from Class E to Class F to Class G), something, somewhere goes wrong, and the blossoming young planet fails to reach its full potential. Volcanic activity slows to a halt, the tenuous atmosphere begins to disperse, any liquid on the surface evaporates, and the rocky young world essentially dies.

Though rare, simple single cell organisms can still thrive on these barren worlds, but more complex forms of life never evolve. As a result, Class K planets are easily colonized via the use of pressure domes, and are often prime candidates for terraforming. Average temperatures are quite cold by humanoid standards, but a warm summer day on a terraformed Class K planet might creep as high as 20°C.

Class L: Marginal planets are typically rocky planets with a nominal ecosystem consisting almost entirely of plants. It is extremely uncommon for higher forms of life, such as animals and humanoid life, to evolve naturally on marginal worlds. A contributing factor in this lack of fauna is a limited supply of surface water (generally more than 20% of the surface is covered in water, otherwise the planet is Class H: Desert).

While the limited water supply prevents widescale colonization, marginal planets can easily support modest humanoid populations, and a small amount of terraforming can easily transform them into robust and completely habitable worlds.

Class M: Terrestrial planets are robust and varied worlds composed primarily of silicate rocks. Located in a star system’s habitable zone, most are temperate worlds with vast blue oceans and wide swaths of verdant forest. However, conditions can vary greatly between worlds and still be considered Class M; as long as the surface is between 20 and 80 percent water, the climate is generally temperate, and the atmosphere made of oxygen and nitrogen, even dry rocky worlds and cold snowy planets can be Class M.

Class N: Reducing planets have a reducing atmosphere in which oxidation is prevented by removal of oxygen and other oxidizing gases or vapours, and which may contain actively reducing gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and gases such as hydrogen sulphide that would be oxidized by any present oxygen. There are two sub-classes: Class N1: Hot reducing and Class N2: Cold reducing.

CLASS N1: HOT REDUCINGThough frequently found in the ecosphere of a star system, Class N1 planets are not conducive to life. The terrain is barren and blazing hot, with a surface pressure more than 90 times that of a Class M: Terrestrial world. The atmosphere is extremely dense, and composed of carbon dioxide. Water exists only in the form of thick, vaporous clouds that shroud the entirety of these worlds.

CLASS N2: COLD REDUCINGWhile Class N1 planets are among the hottest planets known to exist, at the opposite end of the temperature spectrum is the frigid Class N2. Though similar in appearance to N1 thanks in part to the dense atmosphere and characteristic veil of thick clouds, this secondary class is structurally very different. Temperatures are so cold that liquid methane can pool into lakes, and vast mountain ranges are made of rock-hard ice.

Any world with more than eighty percent of its surface covered with liquid water is considered Class O: Pelagic. These warm, tropical worlds are able to support vast cetacean populations, as well as abundant plant and animal life on their sparse tracts of land. Though humanoids can easily colonize pelagic worlds, it is rare for civilizations to naturally arise due to the limited space proffered by its landmasses.

Due to the warm atmosphere and vast oceans, violent tropical cyclones are common on pelagic worlds.

On the distant edge of a star system’s ecosphere, habitable planets are still numerous, but they are a far cry from the lush garden worlds closer in. Cold and barren, more than eighty percent of a Class P: Glaciated planet is covered in solid ice, and while many possess narrow stripes of green along the equator, where hearty plant and animal life may flourish, many glaciated worlds are entirely frozen.

Despite the harsh conditions, humanoid life can thrive on a glaciated world.

Class Q: Variable planets are exceedingly rare in the universe. They typically have highly eccentric orbits or form around a star with a variable output. As a result, conditions the planet’s surface are widely varied and often quite extreme; deserts and rain forests can coexist in the span of a few kilometers, and glaciers might simultaneously loom near the equatorial regions… only to melt off in the span of a few days. If the planet has an eccentric orbit, the entire planet might spend decades completely frozen in the far reaches of the star system, only to turn into a hothouse as it approaches its parent star.

Though pockets of the surface might occasionally become habitable, in general, the constant instability makes long term survival for any species virtually impossible.

A rogue planet usually forms within a star system, but at some point during its evolution, the planet is ejected from a stable orbit an expelled into interstellar space. Typically this is caused by a catastrophic asteroid impact or interaction with a wandering Class U: Ultra Giant.

While many rogue planets are terrestrial worlds, gas giants are just as likely to be expelled from a star system, and while they are technically Class R, these wandering giants function like any other gaseous world.

Aside from their colossal size, there is little that differentiates a Class S: Super Giant world from its Class J: Jovian counterpart. Located in a star system’s cold zone, they often boast impressive ring systems and harbor dozens of moons.

Giant worlds like Class S and the other gaseous planetoids tend to act as “shields” for the terrestrial planets in the ecosphere, as their powerful gravitational fields tend to divert comets and asteroids away from the interior of a star system.

These titanic gaseous worlds represent the upper limits of planetary masses. Structurally similar to their Class J and S counterparts, only on a far more grandiose scale, these planets have astounding diameter between 50,000,000 and 120,000,000 kilometers. Most Class U planets are content to loom in the cold zone of a star system, but if the planet is sufficiently massive (13 times the size of Jupiter), nuclear fusion ignites the deuterium within the core, and the planet becomes a red dwarf star, creating a binary star system.

The great mass of ultra giants that do not transition into stars occasionally force them to assume eccentric orbits. This causes them to spiral inward toward the heart of the star system and become a “Hot Jupiter,” a gas giant orbiting extremely close to its parent star. This destructive process disrupts the entire star system, ejecting smaller planets into interstellar space, and ultimately ends with the Class U planet’s demise as a desolate Class X: Chthonian world.

When a highly eccentric orbit causes a Class U planet to spiral into the hot zone of a star system, it eventually settles into orbit perilously close to the parent star. This proximity typically results in gravitational forces stripping the atmosphere from the planet; the end result is a Class X: Chthonian planet, which is nothing more than the exposed core of the Class U world.

In stark contrast to a Class U planet, Chthonian worlds are tiny, measuring no more than 10,000 kilometers in diameter. Any atmosphere that remains is tenuous at best, and composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. As a result, the daylight side of the planet is scorched by temperatures up to 800°C, but without an atmosphere, none of this heat is retained, and nighttime temperatures may drop as low as -260°C.

Chthonian worlds are utterly barren, but rich in natural resources. Most have surfaces composed of iron and deuterium, but some are composed almost entirely of diamond. While they are wholly unsuitable for life of any kind, short-term mining operations are often established on Class X planets to gather the valuable materials proffered by these tiny worlds before it’s too late—Chthonian worlds are extremely short-lived. Doomed by the inward spiral set into motion in the cold zone, Class X planets are ultimately absorbed by their parent star and completely obliterated.

Perhaps the most environmentally unfriendly planets in the galaxy, Class Y: Demon worlds are inhospitable to life in every way imaginable. Most often found in the hot zone of a star system, these worlds possess extremely thick, highly toxic atmospheres which are plagued with violent storms that discharge thermionic radiation; surface temperatures exceed 200°C, and winds may reach 500kph. Incredibly, a type of biomimetic life form was discovered on a Class Y planet in the Delta Quadrant in 2374.

Although Class Y planets are extremely rare in the universe, they are generally unremarkable, average-sized planets when their harsh atmosphere is taken out of the equation. The surface is predictably barren, and composed primarily of iron, deuterium, and silicate rocks, with a diameter between 10,000 and 15,000 kilometers.

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